The sheboot caused uproar before it was even released as the trailer became the most disliked video in YouTube’s history. Why? Because the leads were women – underlying sexism strikes again! In light of this, I’m going to try something: I’m going to actually give the film a chance and review it like normal human being.

Taking place within an alternate universe, Dr Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) lands in hot water after an accidental reunion with former friend/ghostbuddy Dr Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) films her raving about seeing a ghost. Fired from her job as a lecturer, she teams up with Abby and wacky engineer Dr Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) to form a ghost-busting enterprise. Chris Hemsworth’s dumb-blonde Kevin and Leslie Jones’s streetwise Patty Tolan join the crew and hilarity ensues.

Wiig and McCarthy are naturally funny people and it rubs off in their characters, but McKinnon and Jones complete a neat comedic quartet that works. Hemsworth, against the grain, bounces off the weird humour well (the weirdness really comes from McKinnon, but her mumbling psychotica adds to her erratic character).

It really is a LOL funny-film, more so than the original. Good start. There’s no jumpscares per se, but it’s a little haunting, especially the opening sequence. Even if the ghosts look exaggerated, it’s definitely an improvement on the 80s animation – Disneyfied, but a house of horrors nonetheless.

The main dilemma… I’ve been building to this. Considering the time spent on getting this movie made, the story is remarkably underwhelming. After such a promising start, Ghostbusters succumbs to the formerly commonplace blockbuster fatigue of the 90s and 00s, and that is where the original has the upper hand – longevity.

Wildly funny but peppered with lulls, it’s a feature that spirals inconsistently along till it farts out a finale. Those who weren’t particularly fond of the 80s originals will continue to feel indifferent. I think we know where the diehards stand… but newcomers might enjoy this fresh start.